In conclusion, if the states' initiative to legalize medical marijuana is merely a veiled step toward allowing access to recreational marijuana, then the medical community should be left out of the process, and instead marijuana should be decriminalized. Conversely, if the goal is to make marijuana available for medical purposes, then it is unclear why the approval process should be different from that used for other medications.

By the end of 2014, the number of total crimes was 24 percent higher than in 2012. Property crimes increased 14 percent from 2012 to 2013, and the 2014 data was 26 percent higher than the pre-pot legalization period.

Increased availability and decreased perception of harm drive youth use and lowers the age of initiation to drug use — the goal of an industry working to capture lifetime customers, despite known consequences for physical and mental health. Youth exposures double the risk of addiction.

There is a lack of evidence of safety for the use of marijuana under medical supervision.

There is a lack of evidence of efficacy of medical marijuana.

Qualified experts do not accept the drug.

Scientific evidence is not widely available.

If you have a medical problem, chances are, there are far more effective treatments than smoked marijuana; prescribed treatments have undergone meticulous testing procedures to minimize risk. Though some may be disappointed, today’s smoked marijuana should not be confused with real medicine. Smoking and inhaling a large array of chemicals in order to deliver a drug is a backward step in medicine and a risky step for a patient.

Simply put, marijuana is not a pure compound; there is no way to make sure that ingredients are measured reliably and are consistent from one batch to another. ...